Being a dog lover means that the presence of dogs in daily life is valued. A dog owner loves, cares, and is compassionate about their furry buddies. Dogs can feel this and they are brimming with loyalty and are overly protective of their owners.
Previous articles might have stated that Shiba Inus are not the dog you’d want with children. However, these words are taken with a grain of salt and do not mean that Shiba Inus is a hundred percent harmful around children. But still, with their protective and territorial nature, how safe are they with little ones? What measures should an adult Shiba Inu owner do in order to keep both children and Shiba in one house?
This article will discuss numerous reviews regarding Shiba Inu and on whether they are the perfect pet you can keep with children in the house.
A Shiba Inu can do well with children, but it is not an easy first pick, and success depends far more on the child's age, the dog's training, and constant supervision than on the breed alone.
Shibas are independent, territorial, and protective of their space, which puts them at odds with the grabbing and chasing that young children do instinctively. That does not make them dangerous by default, but it does mean the relationship has to be built deliberately rather than assumed. Older kids who can follow rules tend to fare much better than toddlers who cannot. The honest answer is that a Shiba can be a wonderful family dog in the right home, and a poor fit in the wrong one.
The short version, in four parts:
- The child's age and self-control matter more than the breed label.
- Early socialization and training decide how much a Shiba tolerates.
- Supervision is non-negotiable, no matter how gentle the dog seems.
- Individual temperament varies widely, so meet the specific dog first.
Reviews on the Shiba Inu Dog as a Pet: Is it good for Kids?
The top priority of parents will always be the safety and security of their kids. For every decision parents make, their children are the number one factor they consider. One of these decisions has to be the selection of a pet, most importantly, the breed.
There are a lot of dog breeds and each one of them is unique and different from one another. Some are friendlier breeds, which are perfect for children, while others are more aggressive, which is usually the top choice when looking for a reliable house dog.
Considering a Shiba Inu and upon seeing their protective trait, parents must be a little apprehensive. They’re cute and fluffy, yes, and the “doge meme” might have caught the attention of the majority but the Shiba Inu was originally bred for hunting so their aggressiveness has a deep root. But that doesn’t mean they are aggressive the whole day and whole night and with proper training, they too can be a cute fluff around kids.
Listed below are different reviews that will help a prospective Shiba Inu owner decide whether this particular dog breed is the right one for home.
The First Review
The first review is from the website of doglime.com.
According to the website, the Shiba Inu is known as highly independent which makes it difficult to train.
But on the lighter side, the Shiba Inu is highly regarded as a good family dog because of its immense loyalty and devotion. The website emphasized that the Shiba Inu is attuned with the company of children as long as they are properly introuced and trained. On the side of the children, they must also be taught how to treat a dog well.
The Second Review
Second is the review by the blog canna-pet.com
According to the website, Shiba Inus are known to be very protective of their personal belongings and when threathen, will not hesitate to bear their fangs. This harmful response, as default, is not for children. However, the website concluded that with proper training and socialization, Shibu Inu actually make a good company for children.
Properly training and practicing a Shiba Inu for civil socialization will take patience and constant supervision so the owner should take time and effort to ensure that the dog is tamed, sociable, and friendly.
The Third Review
Third, is the review by Naomi Millburn which she wrote on her blog, dogcare.dailypuppy.com.
According to Naomi Millburn, her thorough review revolves around four tenets which is based on the ideology of Laura Payton, who is the author of the book entitled ‘Shiba Inus”, wherein she emphasized that Shiba Inus are highly adored and loved by children.
1. Strong Connections with Children
The Shiba Inus reach their full bloom of attunement with kids and children when they reach their full grown up stage and phase. A big influence to this behavior is their training and socialization that was engraved to them as puppies.
Tip! Shiba Inu owners should demonstrate a higher “social status” in the household. This is an effective strategy in getting the respect of the dog and insinuating dominance over it.
It is highly recommended that as puppies, Shiba Inu should undergo a solid training where they are able to build a rapport with all the members of the household.
2. Constant Supervision of Interactions
To totally fuse the Shiba Inu in the company of children, proper training plays a major rule. To reach this stage, it is important for an adult to have constant supervision when a Shiba Inu puppy and children are interacting.
However, there is one thing to keep an eye on. When children first meet puppies, they excited and their excited actions would result in less delicate handling. If a child treats a Shiba Inu aggressively, there is a big possibility that the puppy will remember that certain manner
With the regards on how to clarify with the Shiba Inu puppy of its identity as a dog, it is best to consult with a professional on animal behavior.
3. Relaxed Behavior in Children
A successful and comfortable relationship between children and Shiba Inus is achievable, only if a balanced focus and attentiveness is practiced and incorporated by the owner/parent.
As an essential key that will provide light into the situation, it is best that kids are relaxed in terms of dealing with the Shiba Inu pup.
If a child in uneasy in the presence of the pup, there is a high possibility that the pup will pick on that vulnerability and will take charge of the situation. This is will not end well as it could result in harassment by the Shiba Inu pup.
The adult Shiba Inu owner, which is also the parent of the children, should take time to reverse the child’s apprehensiveness against the dog. Remember, safety is the top priority.
Note: According to the Westminster Kennel Clubs, older kids are more inclined in dealing with the Shiba Inu.
4. Unfamiliar Children
If the Shiba Inu has spent its life and grew up with a pair of kids, then bonding and thriving alongside these children is not a problem. However, this bond is not a sure proof that Shiba Inu can bond with newer faces. By default, this dog breed get wary in the presence of strangers, whether it be new animals, children or adults.
According to Dr. Sheldon L. Gerstenfeld, a veterinarian by profession, and at the same time, the author of the book titled: “ASPCA Complete Guide to Dogs”, he highly emphasized the following point: “Similarly with children, the Shiba Inu dog also wary in the company of new faces whether it may be an adult, a child or an animal.”
To all adult Shiba Inu owners, always remember that this dog breed should never be left alone with children they’ve just encountered for the first time without close monitoring.
The Fourth Review
The fourth review is taken from the blog website which is www.quora.com. A question was posted and was met with answers from individuals who have firsthand experience with taking care of a Shiba Inu.
The question is, “Are Shiba Inus good with children?”
The first response was from Denise Fukuda who shared her experience with her 10-year-old male Shiba Inu. Her answer? No.
She continued saying that her Shiba Inu is now 10 years old and is laidback than what he used to be but despite the training and socializing that she has done, the dog is still very keen on keeping his personal space and still has the tendency to snap once he feels invaded. She added that she never leaves her pet dog unsupervised alone with the kids.
She strongly suggests that if a prospective dog owner would want a dog that is good and beneficial for the kids, a Labrador and a Golden Retriever is her greatest suggestion.
The Fifth Review
The fifth and last featured review is still taken from the same website, quora.com, and is the response that followed Denise’s.
The response came from Kai Cruz who said that Shiba Inu are not exactly good with children. She continued saying that most Shiba Inu dislike being jumped and pulled on and toddlers and children tend to do just that when playing with dogs. She stated that Shiba Inus are quite dramatic and will respond to these actions.
She shared her experience with her Shiba Inu, saying that her pet dislike children despite socialization but tolerates them.
However, she also stated that not all Shiba Inus are the same and if you are lucky, will land a child-loving Shiba.
What Actually Decides Whether a Shiba and Kids Work
The reviews above land in different places for a reason. Whether a Shiba thrives with children comes down to a handful of factors, and the breed label is only one of them.
- The child's age and maturity. A ten-year-old who can follow rules about the dog's space is a very different situation from a two-year-old who cannot. The younger the child, the more the burden falls on adult supervision rather than the dog's tolerance.
- Early socialization. A Shiba exposed to calm, positive experiences with children as a puppy carries far more tolerance into adulthood. A dog that never met a child until age three has a steeper climb.
- The individual dog. Temperament varies widely inside the breed. Some Shibas genuinely enjoy kids, others merely tolerate them, and a few never warm up. Meeting the specific dog matters more than reading about the breed.
- Household rules and consistency. Homes where the child learns to leave the dog alone while it eats and sleeps, and where the dog has a retreat space, succeed at much higher rates than homes that leave it to chance.
- The family's time. Training and supervision cost real hours. Families with the bandwidth to invest them see better outcomes than families hoping the dog will simply adjust.
One family we placed a Shiba with after 2019 had a patient eight-year-old who learned the household rules quickly, and the match settled within weeks. A different household with a busy toddler and no time to supervise was a harder fit, and we said so before placement. Same breed, very different outcomes, driven almost entirely by the factors above. For the full framework on breed fit, read is a Shiba Inu right for me, and for the step-by-step process once you commit, see how to introduce your Shiba Inu to children.
What We See When Shibas Join Families With Kids
Since 2019 we have placed more than 250 Shibas, and we are candid with families about this exact question because it drives long-term success. The pattern is clear. Homes that respect the breed's limits and invest in supervision tend to keep their dogs happily for life. Homes that expected a naturally kid-tolerant dog and got a boundary-conscious one are where we see the most strain.
What works: matching an older, calmer child with a well-socialized dog, setting firm rules early, and giving the Shiba a space of its own. What does not work: buying the doge meme and expecting a cuddly pushover, or leaving a toddler and a Shiba unsupervised on the assumption that it will be fine. It usually is fine right up until it is not, and the warning signs are easy to miss when you are busy.
Our honesty here has a cost we are willing to pay. We sometimes talk families out of a Shiba when a more tolerant breed would serve their young kids better, and that candor is part of why our take-back rate sits near 4 percent. If you are set on a Shiba and want to do it right, our rehoming process includes a real conversation about your household before any match, so the dog and the kids both start on solid ground.
Related Questions
Do Shiba Inus get along with young children?
Some do and some do not, and the breed as a whole is not an easy match for very young children. Shibas dislike rough handling and value their personal space, which collides with how toddlers naturally play. A well-socialized Shiba raised alongside gentle, well-coached children can coexist happily, but it takes training, supervision, and realistic expectations. This is not a set-and-forget family dog.
Are Shibas better with older kids than toddlers?
Generally yes. Older children can understand and follow rules about the dog's space, read basic body language, and avoid the grabbing and chasing that stresses a Shiba. Toddlers cannot reliably do any of that yet, so they need constant adult management around the dog. Many experienced owners find the fit far smoother once children are old enough to respect boundaries.
What dog is easier than a Shiba for a family with young kids?
Breeds bred for tolerance and handling, such as Labradors and Golden Retrievers, are commonly suggested for homes with young children because they absorb chaos more forgivingly. A Shiba can still work, but it asks more of the family in training and supervision. If you want a dog that shrugs off a toddler's energy with minimal management, a Shiba is probably not the shortest path there.
What to Read Next
For the complete breed-fit picture, start with is a Shiba Inu right for me. When you are ready to bring dog and child together, follow how to introduce your Shiba Inu to children and build the groundwork with how to socialize a Shiba Inu. And if you decide a Shiba is right for your family, our rehoming program starts with an honest household conversation.
Looking to adopt or rehome a Shiba?
Rescue-first rehoming with vetted families, 1-year health guarantee, lifetime support.